The Cloud Upon Tronjheim
by Wonderbat Erin
Summary: Nasuada visits Murtagh while he is in his cell in Tronjheim, and their relationship blossoms.
1. Messenger

**This is a series of stories depicting the meetings of Nasuada and Murtagh in Tronjheim. Read...**

Nasuada patted the waistline of her dress, making sure that the jewelled dagger concealed within was placed properly, then she gathered up the hem of her long, forest-green dress and set out for the prisoner's cell.

She arrived there soon enough, and paused when the guards in front of the bolted-shut door crossed their weapons in front of it. They lowered their spears when they recognised her, and she nodded to them as she walked past.

Apprehension slid its grimy hands across the back of her throat as she placed her hand on the bolt, the other one slipping inside the folds of her dress to close around the hilt of her trusty dagger."Don't worry,"she told herself."The guards will help me if I should need any assistance."She slid the hard piece of wood off to the side and gave the door a light push. It swung open silently.

What she saw surprised her. She did not see the battle-worn veteran of war she had expected to meet. Instead, her gaze fell upon a charming young man, slightly older than her, with chin-length, brownish-black hair, who was lying on a cot. He looked up as she entered, and she noticed that his eyes were a stormy shade of bluish-gray.

Murtagh scrambled up and looked her over critically. With a calm, expressionless baritone, he asked,"Who might you be?"

She swallowed, her right hand tightening on the handle of her hidden weapon, and replied,"I am Nasuada, daughter of Ajihad, and I have come to relay a message to you from my father."

Astonishment raised his sleek black eyebrows."Daughter of Ajihad?"

She raised hers. He frowned, then explained,"Your father did not seem like one who would practice marriage. What is your message?"

She smiled, and said in a high, rich vibrato,"He grants permission for you to receive visitors to your cell. Also, whatever books or food you may need, you have but to ask and it will be given to you."

He hesitated, then answered,"Thank you. Are... Are you going to see Eragon?"

"Yes. Is there a message that you desire me to give to him?"she said.

"Could you please ask him to visit me? I... I am afraid that I am actually rather lonely,"he confessed, his tone hesitant, as if he was unsure of how to react around her.

Nasuada tossed back her long, straight hair and smiled at him, flashing her bright white teeth."I shall convey your message." With that, she turned and strode out of the dark cell, leaving Murtagh behind staring at her back.

**...Then review! This is only the first meeting. Each of their meetings will start with Nasuada's point of view, then Murtagh's. Please, please go to my profile page and vote in the poll! I want to find out the color of Murtagh's eyes!**


	2. Surprise Visit

**Hey. I'm back! Please, pleeeease visit my page and see my other stories!(Any of you like Íorûnn/Eragon?) Oh, and please vote in my poll. I'm not sure what colour Murtagh's eyes should be..**

Murtagh slumped down onto the cot he lay on, eyes riveted to the scroll lying on his lap. Suddenly, he heard the jangle of metal striking metal as his guards crossed their weapons, then another clamor as they lowered them. The door edged open slowly, and a young woman stepped in.

He looked up, managing to hide his surprise at the lady's poise and dusky skin. She had warm yet guarded brown eyes, and thick, lush brown hair that was bound atop her head by a single blue ribbon. She wore a soft green gown that spilled over onto the ground. A single ruby necklace hung around her slender neck. One hand rested on the bolt of the door and the other, buried in the voluminous folds of her dress.

She stepped in cautiously and he scrambled up quickly. He gave her an appraising glance, and she shifted uneasily, seeming not to notice her discomfort. In a flat voice, he asked,"Who might you be?"

She swallowed slowly, and replied carefully,"I am Nasuada, daughter of Ajihad, and I have come to relay a message to you from my father."

Astonished and somewhat shocked, he raised his eyebrows."Daughter of Ajihad?"

She made a questioning face at him. He frowned slightly, curious to know what had drawn such a great man to love a woman, and explained,"Your father did not seem like one who would practice marriage. What is your message?"

She smiled, revealing longish, glossy white teeth that seemed all the more brighter because of the contrast between them and the sable shade of her skin. In a high, lilting voice, she delivered the message, thus,"He grants permission for you to receive visitors to your cell. Also, whatever books or food you may need, you have but to ask and it will be given to you."

Murtagh paused for a while, imagining the cache of books he could amass in that time, and then replied,"Thank you. Are... Are you going to see Eragon?" He hoped she would say yes. Loneliness was biting at him like a blood-hungry wolf.

Nasuada answered in the affirmative, adding what he had hoped to hear,"Yes. Is there a message that you desire me to give to him?"

Now that he was aware of who she was, he was... unsure of how to act around her. Hoping that his behaviour would not betray his true feelings, he answered a little too quickly,"Could you please ask him to visit me? I... I am afraid that I am actually rather lonely," _Blast it,_ he thought. _Too obvious, you fool. She can see through your deception._

She tossed her hair back and smiled again, indulgently,then purred,"I shall convey your message."With that, she turned on her heel and strolled out of the cell.

_Everyone's my enemy now, _Murtagh reminded himself. _Don't trust her too much. __I bet she was holding on to a dagger in that dress of hers. Remember, you still don't know if she will return, or if she only came here once her father forced her to._

__**Awesome! That wasn't too bad, was it? Please, read and review!(Don't reduce me to grovelling...)**


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